Author: Anil Bhat
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: February 10, 2003
In my earlier articles I had discussed
the ISI's progress in cementing ties with the urban-based terrorist group
ULFA. I had also written about the ISI's reaching out to other underground
groups in the North-East from Bangladesh till about the mid-1990s. A lot
of water has flowed down the Padma since, with negative changes for the
people living on both sides of the international border.
Some events post-9/11 may have a
bearing on the suddenness with which Bangladesh got into the grips of Pakistan.
These include the failure or weakening of liberal governments and gaining
of ground by fundamentalist forces in countries like Turkey and Morocco.
Also we need to remember the elections in J&K which, despite several
murderous attempts by jihadis to stymie, if not stifle, were like a slap
on the face for Pakistan, which increased its desperation against India.
Also, India's mobilising its armed
forces along the Pakistan border had an impact. The weakening of the Awami
League and the coming to power of the BNP in Dhaka, gave further fillip
to the ISI, as did the farcical elections in Pakistan followed by a virtual
takeover by the jihadis.
Pakistan's feverish efforts to destabilise
India's east in collusion with the Bangladesh Government, have been centred
on inciting and extending support to insurgent groups in the North-East.
It has also developed a nexus between Bangladeshi fundamental groups and
terrorists not only inside that country but also along its border with
West-Bengal.
The Director-General of the Border
Security Force handed over a list of 99 such camps located in Bangladesh
to his counterpart heading the Bangladesh Rifles. More recently, ISI operatives
in Bangladesh have been involved in nefarious activities like hiring criminals
in that country to smuggle arms, ammunition and narcotics, as well as to
provide bases or safe houses for anti-India activities. Hiring Bangladeshi
journalists oriented to the BNP for generating anti-India sentiments in
the masses is a tested method. Here, of course, a mention must be made
of training Pakistani nationals as maulvis to be appointed to mosques and
madarsas along the entire India-Bangladesh border for anti-India indoctrination.
The Muslim United Liberation Front
of Asom and Muslim Tigers in Assam, and the United People's Liberation
Front, North-Eastern Minority Front and Islamic Front in Manipur have been
around for quite some time. In Assam many groups have been nipped in the
bud; however, there are quite a few which are "in the pipeline".
Now about the Al Qaeda/Taliban presence
in Bangladesh. At least, six senior Al Qaeda honchos stayed in a hotel
in Dhaka in June 2002. The ISI arranged for 200 Taliban guerrillas to be
transported by ship to Bangladesh where they were looked after by a terrorist
group of that country called Tabliq-e-Jamat. Twenty Al Qaeda terrorists
holding Pakistani passports were arrested from a mosque in Khulna by the
Bangladesh Police and released later in January 2002. Almost all the insurgent
groups of India's North-East are reported to have met the Al Qaeda seniors
and pledged their support to them.
Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh
Sheikh Hasina, who visited New Delhi in November 2002, met the President,
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, and the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee. At
a press conference, when asked to comment on the greatly increased presence
of the ISI in her country as well as that of the Al Qaeda/Taliban, she
remarked: "When I was in power, we never allowed ourselves to be used for
such activities. It is not good for our countries and other countries as
well. We believe in friendship; you are democratic and you practice democracy
here but we need some more time to practice democracy. Our government does
not ask any suggestions from us."
When probed further, Sheikh Hasina
maintained that being an opposition leader she could not give a clear reply
to the question but stated that human rights atrocities against minorities
like Hindus, Christians and Buddhists, who had voted for her, had begun
since the last elections.
The Union Home Minister, Mr LK Advani,
as well as the Governor and Chief Minister of Assam, have clearly stated
the threat posed to the Eastern part of the country which warrants some
hard decisions. While all possible steps should be taken to convince insurgent
groups of the region to opt for peace, the message that by mixing or messing
with the ISI, they too will be treated as terrorists must be sent. If necessary,
by setting some examples - that the only good terrorist is a dead one.
When words of encouragement to make neighbours see reason fail, the need
often is to change tack and raise the cost for supporting terror outfits.
